Top 5 Players to Score a Century in Pink-Ball Tests Against Australia, Including a Bowler

New Delhi: England’s veteran batsman Joe Root has created history by scoring a century in the Gabba Day-Night Test against Australia. He became the fifth player to register a century against Australia in a pink-ball Test, an achievement made even more remarkable given Australia’s dominance in these matches.

Australia has played 14 pink-ball Tests so far, winning 13, with Mitchell Starc often dismantling the opposition’s batting lineup. Scoring big in a Day-Night Test against the Aussies is no easy feat. Here are the five players who have achieved this milestone:

1. Faf du Plessis – 118 Runs
South African batsman Faf du Plessis was the first to score a century against Australia in a pink-ball Test. In the 2016 Adelaide Test, du Plessis remained unbeaten on 118 runs in the first innings, though South Africa managed only 259 runs.

2. Stephen Cook – 104 Runs
In the same 2016 Adelaide Test, Stephen Cook scored 104 runs in South Africa’s second innings. Despite these centuries, Australia won the match by seven wickets.

3. Asad Shafiq – 137 Runs
During the 2016 Gabba Day-Night Test between Pakistan and Australia, Asad Shafiq scored 137 runs, nearly reaching Pakistan’s final innings target of 490. His innings helped Pakistan get close with 450 runs.

4. Yasir Shah – 113 Runs
Pakistan’s leg-spinner Yasir Shah joined the elite list by scoring a century in a pink-ball Test against Australia in 2019 at Adelaide. Facing bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, Yasir made 113 runs off 213 balls, though Australia won by an innings.

5. Joe Root – 138 Runs
Joe Root now holds the record for the highest individual score by a batsman in a pink-ball Test against Australia. In the Gabba Test, he remained unbeaten on 138 runs off 206 balls, including 15 fours and one six. This century also marked his first Test century in Australia.

Root’s remarkable innings highlights the increasing competitiveness of Day-Night Tests and adds another feather to his illustrious career.